re been in that part of the town, he was at first utterly confounded
by the discordant cries. Instead, too, of the order prevailing in the
canine portions, the inhabitants seemed to take delight in the wildest
gymnastic demonstrations, and certainly seemed to prefer the house-tops
to any other lounging-place. Kittens, in horrible abundance, were
frisking about in every direction, and the scene was altogether of a
character which seemed to justify the wisdom of the magnates of
Caneville in obliging this singular people to dwell in a distinct part
of the town; a rule which, with a few exceptions, was strictly carried
out.

On reaching the mews, a place so called at the outskirts of the city in
this direction, and sufficiently removed from the noisy streets as to
make the spot a very solitary one, Bruin perceived he was alone at the
rendezvous; so, to while away the time, he strutted to and fro, and
meditated, in his usual style, on his own self-importance. He was
aroused from his reverie by a slight bark, or cough; and raising his
head, he perceived in the dim light a tall and graceful figure deeply
veiled.

He hastily advanced, his rough nature for the first time touched at this
proof of confidence, and his vanity suddenly rising to a dangerous
height, and taking the delicate white paw, which drooped gracefully from
a mantle, within his own, he unclosed his jaws to make some tender
speech. But before he had time to commit himself by his ignorance, the
young lady uttered an aristocratic squeak, and darted away with the
utmost swiftness, and Bruin at the same instant found himself seized by
a strong grip from behind. He turned round with a violence which threw
his assailant a dozen paces off, into a pool of stagnant water, his own
coat being slit right up the back by the movement; but he was at once
attacked by half-a-dozen others, who seemed bent on his destruction.
Bruin's great strength, however, served him in good stead; with his back
against an old wall, he received the assaults of his adversaries with
all his wonted ferocity: so that after ten minutes' fighting they drew
off, leaving two of their number motionless on the ground, and a third
struggling in vain to escape from the unsavoury hole where the whisk of
Bruin's coat-tails had cast him. To this spot Bruin now proceeded; and
sitting himself down on the edge, told the struggling dog he would help
him out if he would divulge the meaning of this unexpected attack